Russia sees no immediate prospect of restoring the 2022 Black Sea grain arrangement, leaving the outlook for a shipping corridor that carried millions of metric tons of Ukrainian farm goods unresolved, Interfax reported Monday.
Alexander Alimov, deputy director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s department of international organizations, said Moscow was considering proposals from several countries and remained in contact with Turkey about maritime navigation through the Black Sea. He did not provide details about the proposals.
Turkey and the United Nations brokered the initiative in 2022 to help avert a global food shortage. Nearly 33 million metric tons of Ukrainian agricultural goods moved by sea under the deal, The Moscow Times reported. EconoTimes previously covered the grain initiative’s role in Black Sea diplomacy.
Russia withdrew in summer 2023, saying Western sanctions restricted its food and fertilizer exports. Moscow also accused Ukraine of using the maritime corridor for military operations.
The Moscow Times reported that Russian and Ukrainian attacks on commercial ships and port facilities have disrupted Black Sea traffic since summer and pushed global wheat prices higher. The outlet also reported that Turkey has spent months seeking a maritime security agreement between the two countries.
